Italian-Style Meatloaf

This Italian-Style Meatloaf may have a comfort food vibe that’s just a little too powerful for most mortal beings. If you do have the discipline to hold back some leftovers, they’ll reward you by being fantastically satisfying.

Italian-Style Meatloaf

Recipe by Make It Like a Man!Course: DinnerCuisine: American
Servings

6-8

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

15

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

35

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 med white onion, quartered, peeled, and diced

  • 2 slices of bread

  • 1⅔ lb. ground beef beef

  • 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan

  • 1 tsp coarse salt, plus more to taste

  • Pepper, to taste

  • 3 tsp dried thyme, divided

  • 2 eggs

  • 3 med Yukon gold potatoes, (peeled and) cut into bite-size cubes

  • 1 tsp dried thyme

  • ½ cup white wine

  • ½ cup chicken broth

  • 2 Tbs olive oil, or to taste

Directions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.
  • Scoop up half the diced onion and place it into a food processor. Process until minced. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Tear the bread up into pieces and place them in the processor. Process until it turns into 1 cup of fine crumbs. Add the crumbs to the bowl with the onion. Add the beef, sausage, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and 2 tsp of the thyme to the bowl. Add the eggs. Knead with your hands until well mixed.
  • Dump the meat mixture onto a large piece of parchment. Use the parchment to roll the meat into a tight cylinder, no more than 11 inches long. Twist the ends of the parchment in order to compress the meat even more. Roll the meat into a 9 x 11 baking pan. If necessary, use your hands to pat the ends of the cylinder to shorten it.
  • Scatter the potatoes and remaining diced onions around the meat. Salt and pepper the potatoes to taste. Sprinkle remaining 1 tsp thyme over the potatoes. Pour wine and stock over the potatoes. Drizzle the entire thing – meat and potatoes – with oil.
  • Bake until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
"Italian-Style Meatloaf," from Make It Like a Man!

This recipe comes from my admiration for Giovanni Siracusa’s “Polpettone.” I stumbled onto it on Instagram. My love for almost everything he cooks convinces me that we’d be best friends if we ever met. I used his recipe as a template to throw together the ingredients that I had on-hand, and changed a few things up just because. 

I’m a little on the fence about the combination of white wine and potatoes, but not so much that I didn’t devour this recipe. It was great fresh from the oven and terrific left over. 

"Italian-Style Meatloaf," from Make It Like a Man!
Italian-Style Meatloaf

Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. Thank you, Kesor. Thank you, ⌘+C. Make It Like a Man! is ranked by Feedspot as #2 in the Top 30 Men’s Cooking Blogs. 

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26 thoughts on “Italian-Style Meatloaf”

    1. Well that’s for sure. I should probably drink the wine before I start in on the meatloaf!

    1. Wow! Where I live, everyone has eaten a meatloaf. Where you live, what is a food that is like that? Everyone has eaten it, and everyone’s mother has their own way they make it?

  1. We had a similar meatloaf last week and I agree about it being a true comfort meal. I’ll have to try this technique next time. I’m on the fence about the wine too. I really like very crispy potatoes.

    1. Don’t get wrong – the wine was good – I was just on the fence about it being for me. I’m sure you could substitute chicken stock, or some more imaginative liquid.

  2. I am not usually a lover of meat loaf, but this looks fantastic; so rich and moist. I also love that it’s not bathed in ketchup (I know, I’m a food snob). The weather makes it look like we will be into comfort food until the weekend, then hopefully it starts acting like spring!

    1. Yes! We have the same weather, I think. I’m looking to going out into it over the weekend. I grew up with ketchup-smothered meatloaf, but my husband would prefer a brown gravy. I felt like this meatloaf didn’t need anything like that.

  3. Wow, Jeff, this sounds wonderful. And it sounds pretty easy, as well. Once the weather cools off, I can assure you that we will be making this. I also have to check out Giovanni’s work. I am unfamiliar with him.

    1. “Once the weather cools off.” You slay me. Though I’ve heard how hot it’s been! Here, the leaves are just now leafing.

  4. Jeff, I have been craving meatloaf. I came across an Ina Garten video and thought her meatloaf looked amazing-I think your does too! I am planning a Sunday Supper and this is perfect. Your timing was perfect.

    Velva

    1. Thanks! Ina Garten is so amazing. I’m sure her meatloaf recipe will be fabulous!

  5. Once I made some meatloaf for my husband and it was so bad, he handed it back (the only time this has happened)!. Your meatloaf recipe looks like my problem could be solved! I like the addition of the Italian sausage. I had at look at Giovanni’s Instagram account and am now a follower!

    1. Oh, nice! I really like his posts. His dishes look fantastic, but they also look easy to throw together. Sorry to hear about your meatloaf! They vary so widely, and I’m sure you can find one that’ll suit him, and maybe it’ll be this one!

  6. The Italian sausage in meatloaf (combined with ground beef) is blowing my mind right now – what a great idea! This is comfort food at its all-time best as it’s a combination of both Italian and American comfort foods. We’re pretty warm here in the mountains, but once that cool air returns I’m thinking this would make for a fantastic dinner…or leftover meatloaf sammiches the next day!

  7. It’s exactly the kind of dish that looks unassuming in the pan and then absolutely steals the show at the table. Love this recpe!

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